A woman went from "Santa's not-so-little helper" to a slender elf - after losing 10 stone. Bethan McGregor, 38, tipped the scales at 23 stone at her heaviest and struggled to squeeze into a size 28-30.
Keen to start a family with her husband, James McGregor, 48, an NHS worker, Bethan embarked on a weight loss mission after a doctor suggested her their chances of conceiving were slim to none due to her weight. The doctor told Bethan she would need to lose 12 stone in order to have a baby in 2018 - so she swapped takeaways for healthy homecooked meals and lost 10 stone in just 12 months.
Now, Bethan weighs a healthier 13 stone and can slip into a size 12-14 with ease. Christmas-obsessed, she decided to take a comparison photo to show her transformation - and donned her elf costume again.
Bethan, a council worker from Cwmbwrla, Swansea, said: "I felt embarrassed and feared being judged by Slimming World attendees who had seen me there before. It was the shame more than anything, I can't believe I had let it get so bad. I feel amazing now."
Bethan was devastated when she found out she may be struggling to conceive due to her weight - which then sat at 23 stone. She would struggle to both walk and talk due to breathlessness, suffer from back and foot pain and use her asthma pump multiple times a day.
Bethan said: "You know when you're big, but hearing that might be the reason I wasn't pregnant was quite difficult. I had to fall into a healthier BMI for my and my future child's safety, but attempting to lose 12 stone sounded unachievable. It was a massive barrier."
She hit her lowest point when she broke down to her GP following the fertility appointment. She had gone to diet groups before, but something changed after a friend invited her to come back to her local Slimming World weight loss support group.
Bethan said: "It was the first time not going of my own accord. I had been to that group before but put the weight back on, so I was embarrassed and worried it would be judged. I didn't feel mentally ready to tackle the challenge but time was ticking."
Women's chances of getting pregnant decline after age 40, so Bethan felt she only had three years to get her weight down. But after joining Slimming World again in September 2021, something felt different.
She said: "I wish I knew what changed. I used to buy packets of crisps and chocolate from the shop, eat them in my car and hide the packets.
"I was obsessed with food. Now I plan all my meals and take my journey one meal at a time. I get support from the group and always stay after weighing in. There was never any judgement and the consultant is so invested in your journey."
Even when she now goes on holiday, Bethan finds nearby groups to attend to keep her motivation up. Not only is she now hopeful to be able to have a child of her own, but she's been able to enjoy life more too.
She said: "I feel completely different. I didn't use to exercise, my back and feet would hurt. I couldn't walk and talk and would use my asthma pump and anti-acid tablets multiple times a day.
"I have more energy now, I'm comfortable getting dressed up to go out. I used to cancel plans because my clothes wouldn't fit me. I used to drive the dog to the beach and throw the ball for him, now we walk for hours together every day."
She recently took part in the Macmillan Mighty Hike and walked 13 miles for charity. The hike ended in Rhossili in Swansea and was a full circle moment for Bethan - considering just 12 months earlier she could not manage the walk to the bay from the car park.
She said: "I was exhausted but exhilarated, I couldn't believe I'd done it." Her previous eating habits used to include a bacon bap in the morning, a battered sausage, chips and a bread roll for lunch, and lasagne with garlic bread or a takeaway for dinner. Now a typical day includes oat pancakes with berries, stir-fried salmon for lunch and hunter's chicken and chips for dinner.
